Macallan 1983 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Macallan 1983 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$3,900 AUD

43% ABV 700ml

The 1983 Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak Single Malt is a legendary, highly collectible vintage Scotch whisky distilled in 1983 and bottled in 2001. It hails from what connoisseurs call the "golden era" of the distillery, crafted using traditional methods and 100% Golden Promise barley before the distillery shifted to higher-yield grains.

Whiskies distilled at Macallan prior to 1994 are highly prized becasue the Golden Promise barley provided a distinctively oily, robust malt flavour that paired perfectly with heavy sherry cask aging. Due to dwindling global stocks, pristine bottles that include the original Sara Midda illustrated tube command a significant premium.

 

Tasting Notes

Unlike modern expressions, this 1983 vintage represents the benchmark for a classic "sherry bomb" before European oak casks became scarce and expensive.

 Nose: Intensely aromatic with classic sherry maturation notes, dark chocolate, heavy raisins, prunes, and a distinct hint of old cognac, vanilla, and subtle wood smoke.

 Palate: Extremely rich, full-bodied, and oily. It delivers a deep, smooth sweetness consisting of sticky dates, stewed plums, bitter orange rind, and robust European oak spices like cinnamon and clove.

 Finish: Long-lasting, warming, and sophisticated. It dries out elegantly with lingering notes of dark chocolate, charred oak, and warming ginger spice.

 

This product is located in the United Kingdom.

Distillery

Macallan Distillery

This is the ne plus ultra in Speyside malt whiskies and has set a standard to which many aspire but few succeed.

Sadly, when Alfred Barnard visited the distillery in 1886 he was so unimpressed by it that he dismissed it in seven lines of what was a very heavy tome. Or perhaps he was simply shown the door in the mistaken belief that he was just another carpetbagger from the South! 

This was in sharp contrast to the warmth of the welcome I received when I retraced Barnard’s footsteps 100 years later to be the guest of two of Scotland’s whisky legends – Willie Phillips as managing director and Sandy Curle, the distiller-in- chief at Macallan since 1972. 

Despite Barnard’s neglect, Macallan has a rich history and much of it is recorded in some detail. It is also reflected in how the company has projected itself, not least by representing some of their excellent products against a suitable historic backdrop. Legitimate from 1824 onwards but almost certainly with a darker earlier history, Macallan is a wonderful fusion of tradition and modernity. The latter is reflected in the decision to build a completely new distillery, which went into production in 2017.  We all wait with baited breath to see if it will be a match for its forerunner and it will be a long wait given Macallan’s policy on maturation. However, there is plenty of maturing stock to ensure that interest in, and devotion to the Macallan make does not waiver in the meantime.

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